Summer

It's definitely summer because it's still light out enough to see the road when walking the pups at 9 pm. My memories are jumbled though because I had the distinct impression that nights like that happened in late July and August in my childhood. But of course, with the solstice in June, it would make sense that the days are beginning to shorten. It just doesn't feel that way though.

My grove of milkweeds is abuzz with large bumbly bees, but not actual bumblebees. Their abdomens are a solid black instead of the stripes I'm used to seeing. Maybe these are just a different species of bumblebees? They're also much larger than the ones that used to make my privet hedges hum. I call it a grove because there's close to four dozen flowering plants, and for the first time, I can actually smell milkweed flower perfume. Otherwise I'll catch whiffs of the tiny star-shaped privets or the lusciously sweet honeysuckles. 

Embedded in my hedges are tall green stalks with an explosion of tiny lacy flowers emanating from a single stem. I learned a new word today: inflorescence. And the plant is an American elder. Completely and totally toxic to humans, but the berries can be cooked into jam. But don't eat the seeds!

Today I see my first monarch butterfly and I'm ecstatic. Last week all I saw were white sulfurs aka cabbage butterflies. And lots of robins and catbirds. I actually saw a robin swoop across the milkweeds and snatch a white cabbage butterfly out of the air. That was pretty awesome!

Summer also means I'm getting to the gym later and trying to figure out where and how I can continue with my exercise routine. Because there's always a class in the Aerobics Room at 9:30, and now there are dismal few other places to stretch in the gym. I skip the elliptical and do 30 minutes on the step machine. Then manage to do half my core routine in the Aerobics Room before it fills up with chatty women waiting for the instructor. One of the Breaker Benches is free in the free weight area so I do triceps, then find a pile of mats at the other end of the gym where I can finish most of the core/stretch routine. It's not ideal, but better than not doing it at all. 

I'm going to have the same problem all summer as long as I'm dropping my kid off at summer camp at 8:15. I can't bring the dogs with me to the park because of that aggressive problem dog who arrives at 8:50. So I go to the gym and rush like hell. Still, better than sitting home... And it's keeping my sciatica at bay. 

I read an interesting article that claims taking your vitamins before you exercise might be impeding your gains. Lucky for me, I take mine after my workout. Another article claims it was easier to be skinny in the 80s. I blame all the plastics we've ingested. I think that's making us more volatile and stupid, and prone to worse cancers. But that's just me. Of course, the scariest article suggests that there's a direct link between sugar intake and Alzheimer's disease. Do I give up my donuts now? (Kidding. I don't eat donuts but maybe twice a year.)

28 June 2022
Crisp mid-morning Tuesday

Matrix StepMill (L)
Manual 30 min
Speed 6 (52-55)
Step 1607
Floors 100
Cal 236
Hr 139

Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Bird Dogs 60s x 2

Skull Crushers / Rip Skulls
30 lbs x 12 reps each x 2
32.5 x 12 x 4

Cat stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Child’s Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Arms & shoulder stretch